Method of bonding golf club head by brazing

ABSTRACT

A method of making a golf club head, which the golf club includes a plurality of components, includes the steps of: coating a brazing solder on the components, then heating the components for solidification of the brazing solder to form a metal skin layer on each component, then bonding the components together by brazing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a method of making golf-clubs, and more particularly to a method of bonding the components of a golf club head by brazing.

2. Description of the Related Art

U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,408 disclosed a method of bonding the components of a golf club head by brazing. In manufacture of golf clubs, components of the golf club are made by casting or forging. These components usually are stored in a warehouse prior to assembly. Welding is the most common technique in assembly of the golf clubs. The components usually are oxidized after welding, and the material property will change. For example, stainless, which is the common material to make the golf club head, will act on oxygen in the air to form a chromium oxide (Cr₂O₃) film on the surface, and the film makes a weak bonding strength between the brazing solder and stainless. It usually has to perform surface treatment, including acid washing and water washing, prior to brazing. Some brazing solders act on the metal in brazing process to change the structure, material property of the metal, further more, it may break the metal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a method of bonding a golf club head, which improves the brazing quality.

The secondary objective of the present invention is to provide a method of bonding a golf club head, which simplifies the brazing process.

According to the objectives of the present invention, a method of making a golf club head, which the golf club includes a plurality of components, includes the steps of: coating a brazing solder on the components, then heating the components for solidification of the brazing solder to form a metal skin layer on each component, then bonding the components together by brazing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of A part of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of B part of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIG. 1, a wood golf club head 10 of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention consists of a main member 11, a face member 12 and a crown 13. The main member 11 includes a neck 14. The face member is a cup-like member, and the crown is a thin metal plate. The main member 11 and the crown 13 are provided with a metal skin layer 111, 131 respectively, and the face member is provided with a metal skin layer 12 on a bonding portion thereof. These metal skin layers may form protective layers to bar air from the components 11, 12, and 13 so that they won't be oxidized. The components 11, 12, and 13 are bonded together by brazing to form the golf club head 10.

As shown in FIG. 2, the main member 11 is provided with a slot 112, in which a solder is provided, on the bonding portion, and the face member 12 is provided with a protrusion 122 to be inserted into the slot 112. The golf club head 10 is heated in a vacuum stove to solidify the solder so that the solder forms a soldering film 15 to bond the main member 11 and the face member 12 together.

The advantages of the present invention are that all of the components of the golf club head are provided with the metal skin layer to prevent the components from corrosion and to increase the strength of brazing. For example, it is very hard to bond stainless and titanium alloy so that we may choose the skin layer made of a metal easier to be bonded on the components and solder that is easier to bond the skin layer. It may increase the strength of brazing.

FIG. 3 shows an iron gold club head 20 including a face member 21, a bottom member 112 and a back member 23. The face member 21 is made of titanium alloy without metal skin layer. The bottom member 22 is made of a heavy, wear-resisting metal, on which a metal skin layer 221 on a bonding portion thereof. The back member 23 is made of stainless with a metal skin layer 231 covering all over the back member 23.

As shown in FIG. 4, a brazing solder is provided between the face member 21 and the bottom member 22 to form a soldering film 24 after heating.

A way of make the metal skin layer is coating a brazing solder on the predetermined portion of the component, and then heating the component to solidify the brazing solder so that the brazing solder forms a metal skin layer on the component. Any technique that forms a metal skin layer on the component, such as plating, spray welding, sputtering, physical or chemical evaporation, chemical plating and other relative techniques, may be incorporated in the present invention.

The description above is a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the equivalence of the present invention is still in the scope of the claim of the present invention. 

1. A method of bonding a golf club head, which the golf club includes a plurality of components and bonded together by brazing, wherein the components are provided with a metal skin layer on predetermined bonding portions respectively prior to brazing.
 2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the metal skin layer is made of a material chosen from gold, silver, platinum, palladium, copper, nickel, cobalt, chromium, aluminum, molybdenum, titanium, lead, tin, zinc, cadmium, or alloy of above or combination of above.
 3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein a method of making the metal skin layer on the component includes electroplating, spray welding, sputtering, physical or chemical evaporation, and chemical plating.
 4. A method of making a golf club head, which the golf club includes a plurality of components, comprising the steps of: coating a brazing solder on the components, then heating the components for solidification of the brazing solder to form a metal skin layer on each component, then bonding the components together by brazing. 